Hawaii is eyeing a new tropical threat less than a week after deadly Hurricane Lala tore through parts of the islands.
Tropical Storm Moke formed Friday afternoon about 650 miles southeast of the eastern coast of the Big Island, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Moke is forecast to maintain its intensity as a tropical storm and take a similar track as Lala toward Hawaii.
But the new storm will likely be weaker than Lala and track further south when it makes its closest pass on Sunday, somewhat dampening its wind threat, but not its rain.
Lala’s eyewall brushed the southern coast of the Big Island while its center was roughly 30 miles offshore. The latest forecast brings this new storm’s center 180 miles south of the Big Island as a tropical storm.
